


The Art of Being Reasonable

by lover_of_blue_roses



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: M/M, Mentions of Toxic Relationships, commitment issues, dumb idiot, hopelessly in love, i think around 1983 or 84, pinning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-30 23:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19413577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lover_of_blue_roses/pseuds/lover_of_blue_roses
Summary: Phoebe watches as Freddie tries to end the cycle of toxic relationships by dating a new man, Jim Hutton.





	The Art of Being Reasonable

Phoebe would never call his employer an idiot but this; this was painful. Freddie had, for all the years Phoebe had been in his employment, only ever had cheap relationships. Not literally cheap because Freddie was very much a sugar daddy that showered them with expensive presents, but cheap in that the relationship meant little to both participants. 

Freddie wasn't expected to remain loyal, he'd get a boyfriend in London or Munich (wherever he was living) and then often leave them there. He was by no measure expected to remain celibate when off touring or writing an album, instead have one-night stands basically every night. Freddie's boyfriends, however, were expected to remain faithful and not just in body; flirting and going on dates with other men was grounds for breaking up. 

Freddie seemed to genuinely care for those men, but then again Freddie seemed to genuinely care when he was out on stage with the audience. It, whatever it was, was real. The person he became, it was a real person and Freddie wasn't so much the perfect actor as reborn for the night, but it wasn't him, and it wasn't him when he came home. This caused his relationships to be extremely shallow. 

Phoebe had no idea what the solution was. He'd seen how fake Freddie was around Mary and how distant Freddie was his parents on this subject of 'other business.' 

All that being said... this was a little pathetic. Jim Hutton, bless his heart, carried less emotional baggage and actually had been in healthy adult romantic relationships. Freddie bemoaned how unfair Jim was being. But unfortunately, Phoebe wasn't on Fred's side about this. Jim wanted Freddie monogamously, and not just that he didn't screw around, but he wanted him present not just in body but also in heart and soul. Jim hadn't met Mr. Fahrenheit as one of the star-struck groupies that Paul would bring around but had met him as just another stranger in the bar. He hadn't even known he was famous at first and when Jim had found out it didn't change anything, not to Jim. In this way Jim was different and Phoebe approved.

Freddie also had some ideas about the kind of guys he wanted. And while Jim fit them physically to a tee, he fit them less so emotionally. He enjoyed getting really riled up before a performance and the easiest way to do this was to have a screaming match with his latest conquest. Things sometimes escalated to violence, and never on Freddie's end. Phoebe felt, and he knew other members of the band did too, that Freddie felt he deserved this treatment. That his partners should be able to rail against him. Phoebe wasn't sure if it was penance against just being gay or a bottom or something else but whatever the case may be Phoebe was sure Freddie didn't deserve it.

Freddie was delightful and energetic even if he could be demanding and get into terrible moods, he didn't deserve to be treated that way, no one did. Phoebe remembered one time Freddie playing with a fancy hotel phone that had keypad when rotaries were the norm. He kept calling down to reception to get a maid to send up a towel, one towel at a time. Every time he'd open the door he kept giving them the new crisp twenty dollar* bills Reid had given him. It was just an excuse for him to give away his money and the maids started to dissolve into stitches by the third time. Truly Freddie was a kind, generous soul that deserved to love and be loved.

And Jim wasn't unreasonable. Jim wanted Freddie to open up and be vulnerable. That was, however, a lot to ask of him. What little time they did have together, Jim always brought out smiles and happiness in Freddie. It was so obvious how wildly and madly in love Fred was. But so quickly it always turned sour. Freddie felt he couldn't be good enough and he wasn't sure that what he wanted was to even try. So he fought and tried to push Jim away by being unreasonable. But Jim was calm and never raised his voice to scream or fight, and instead, Jim just left and came back when Freddie would be collected.

He was patient and Phoebe suspected that was because as much as Freddie loved Jim, Jim also loved him in return.

*Twenty dollars in 1975 is 100$ nowadays.

**Author's Note:**

> The story of Freddie's abusive/toxic relationship are true and from Phoebe's book.  
> The story about the maid is also true and from Brian.  
> Beta'd by the dearest companion [SmittyJaws](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmittyJaws/pseuds/SmittyJaws/works)


End file.
